The body needs many different nutrients and minerals for it to stay healthy. Vitamins are among the most essential foods needed by the body. Many types of vitamins vary in source and health benefits. Vitamin D and Vitamin K are among the top needed vitamins by the body.
Unlike other vitamins that work on their own, Vitamin D and vitamin K work better together. These vitamins are known to supplement each other for effective functioning. This makes it important for you to know and understand the relationship between these two vitamins. We have all information that explains the science behind the relationship between vitamin D and K.
What Are Vitamins D and K?
Vitamin D and vitamin K are fat-solubles that have many health benefits to the body. Just like other vitamins, vitamins K and D have high-fat quotients in them. They are mostly high fat-foods that are easily absorbed into the bloodstream in their fat state. There are many sources of vitamins D and K. Some sources are natural while others are artificial. All these supplements aid in enhancing the levels of these essential vitamins in the body.
Vitamin D is also referred to as the sunshine vitamin. This vitamin is mostly found in fatty fish and fish oil products. Consuming more fish and fish supplements increases your level of vitamin D in the body. The most natural way of increasing vitamin D is through sunshine. Your body produces vitamin D when your skin is exposed to the sunlight. Medical officers advise on regular sun-basking. This increases your vitamin D quotient. The primary role of vitamin D in the body is to enhance calcium absorption and maintain enough calcium levels in the blood. Lack of vitamin D is associated with bone loss and weaker muscles.
Vitamin K is an essential nutrient in the body. It helps the body in blood clotting and promotes the accumulation of calcium in muscles, bones, and teeth. Vitamin K is plenty in leafy greens and fermented legumes or vegetables. Some fatty animal-based foods like egg yolk, cheese, and liver also provide vitamin K.
These two vitamins supplement each other as they both promote calcium accumulation in the bones and are necessary for strengthening bones and teeth. They play a huge essential role in your body’s calcium metabolism; hence they go hand-in-hand.
The Role of Vitamins D And K
Vitamins D and K work as a ream in the body; they supplement each other to enhance their importance. Vitamin D and vitamin K are used in calcium metabolism. They both play essential roles that enhance calcium supply to the teeth, muscles, and bones.
The Role of Vitamin D
The main role of vitamin D in the body is maintaining an adequate calcium level in the blood. Calcium is very important in the body. It’s used information about body muscles, bones, and teeth. Calcium is sourced from various foods that can be taken raw, cooked, or as supplements. However, it’s difficult to maintain the needed calcium levels. To help the body have the right calcium levels in the blood, vitamin D acts as the regulator of calcium amounts in the body. Vitamin D achieves this role by:
Enhances calcium absorption- vitamin D is responsible for calcium absorption into the blood from the meal you take.
Maintaining calcium in the blood- calcium levels must be adequate in the blood at all times. However, in some cases, the body lacks enough calcium to help maintain the teeth and bones. This comes from the poor intake of calcium-giving foods. Vitamins D take the calcium in the boned to maintain the needed calcium levels in your blood. This condition can lead to weak bones as the body tries to overcome the insufficient calcium intake.
The Role of Vitamin K
Vitamin K is essential in the body and mostly supplements vitamin D. As explained above, vitamin D is responsible for maintaining adequate calcium levels in the blood to match your body’s demand. However, it cannot fully control where the calcium is deposited or stored in the body. This opens the role of vitamin K in the body. Vitamin K is used to regulate the calcium levels in your blood and bones. The following ways aid vitamin K control where the calcium in the body ends up to.
Enhances Bone Calcification
Vitamin K is responsible for regulating where the calcium in the body ends up to. It activates the osteocalcin protein that promotes the calcium accumulation in the bones and teeth.
Reduces Calcification Of Tissues
When the calcium is deposited in the bones and teeth, some soft tissues can be flooded with regular accumulation. This can lead to health problems such as kidney failure as the tissues are very soft and delicate. To avoid this, the vitamin K activates matrix GLA protein. This protein prevents the accumulation of calcium on soft tissues like blood vessels or the kidney.
Is Vitamin D Harmful Without Vitamin K?
Some people get confused with the relationship between Vitamin K, and Vitamin D. High intake of vitamin D is associated with blood vessel calcification and heart problems which is the opposite in vitamin K. To understand this relationship. Consider the following:
High intake of vitamin D causes hypercalcemia, a condition whereby there are high calcium levels in the blood. Hypercalcemia leads to an increase in calcium and phosphorus levels in the blood. This causes blood vessel calcification which is one major causative of heart diseases. Blood vessel calcification is caused by a lack of vitamin K in the body. To prevent this fatal condition, ensure that you maintain adequate levels of both vitamin K and vitamin D. Vitamin K helps reduce the blood vessel’s calcification lowering your risks of getting chronic diseases.
Conclusion
The science on how vitamins D and K interact is still under study. Vitamin D has numerous benefits to the body as it maintains the calcium levels in the blood. Vitamin K helps regulate where the calcium is deposited in the body. Both vitamins are essential to the human body. For better health, ensure you maintain adequate amounts of vitamin K and vitamin D in your diet as they are equally important.
GP
The work of a family doctor includes a wide range of clinical diversity, which requires extensive knowledge and erudition from a specialist. However, I believe that the most important thing for a family doctor is to be human because the cooperation and understanding between the doctor and the patient are crucial in ensuring successful health care. On my days off, I love being in nature. Since childhood, I have been passionate about playing chess and tennis. Whenever I have time off, I enjoy traveling around the world.
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